Nikon SB-700 flash repair

[digge]

Hi

This is more of an info thread if anyone else happens stuble uppon a similar problem with a Nikon flash. And if youre planning on working on a flash, beware of the huge cap wich in this case is housed in the upper part of flash.

Background is that many ppl have trouble with them just randomly stop powering up. You can sometime get them to work somewhat through just slowly close battery lid until it lights up and hold it there. But when you close it completely more often then not it just dies again. What i found is that its due to either bent contact springs in the bottom of the battery compartment or bad solderjoints for the bottom of battery compartment.

Screws to get the bottom half apart is 4 at the bottom at the connector, and 4 on the top och the bottom half, you get to them by rotating the upper half of the flash. Only one each side needs removing on the upper ones due to it beeing a metal bar with two threaded holes behind the screws. Otherwise the bar will most likely just fall into the flash and you need to fish them out. I belived i used an Y0 bit to remove screws.

The last tricky bit is getting the circuit board out from the bottom of the battery compartment. First there are 2 screws holding the plastic to the bottom, after that you need to desolder the middle 2 pads, those are attached to a fuse thats glued in between where the batteries sit. Also remove the screws from the attached board and you should be able to wiggle it out. Ill attach some images of the battery part for reference.

I also tensioned the bottom springs a tad for good measure and cleaned the contacts.

Just thought id post if its helpful to someone, i would belive the construction is similar in other Nikon flashes.